3D Systems Adds Engineering-grade Nylon for Desktop 3D Printing

Published on 2015-08-27. Author :
SpecialChem

ROCK HILL, South Carolina -- 3D Systems announced that it has expanded its PlasticJet Printing materials to include a new Nylon for the company’s flagship CubePro® 3D printers. This engineering-grade performance material was developed for CubePro, bringing strength, flexibility and unparalleled durability to desktop production of functional parts for design, testing and small-scale manufacturing. Engineered with a blend that includes Nylon 6 and compatible with InfinityTM Rinse-Away water-soluble support material, Nylon for CubePro saves valuable design and process time and enables 3D printing of complex, articulated and fully assembled end-use parts.

Fig. 1: 3D Systems

Nylon for Cube Pro is delivered in a new Smart Cartridge that is equipped with a hydroscopic seal extending the material’s shelf life for up to 12 months. Nylon cartridges are priced at $149 each, and are available immediately on Cubify and through select distributors. Combining Nylon with InfinityTM Rinse-Away support inside the CubePro’s climate controlled chamber delivers the highest quality professional desktop 3D printing output every time.

“When prototyping my custom-built, visual effects robot I knew ABS would be strong enough for some fit testing; but when it got to doing the real work, the functional testing and ongoing use, I needed the strength and endurance that Nylon delivers,” says Luke Schantz, Technologist at SoftLayer. “I’ve used a lot of desktop 3D printers and a mix of materials on the market, but CubePro with Nylon is a product-material combination that is unmatched in performance.”

Beyond functional prototyping and test parts, Nylon’s strength and durability, combined with its smooth surface finish, allows CubePro owners to transform their desktop 3D printer into an economic tool for low volume, high value direct-manufacturing. For example, small businesses can readily produce several hundred precision parts to satisfy their monthly sales requirements using a bank of CubePro printers as an affordable flexible-manufacturing cell.

“We are thrilled to offer this long-awaited material to our core, desktop user base, empowering engineers, small businesses and start-ups alike with the most durable and high performing material for PlasticJet Printing,” said Peter Theran, Vice President, Global Consumer Products, 3DS. “Nylon for CubePro takes desktop 3D printing where it’s never gone before: into direct-manufacturing and end-use part production.”